Political policy and advocacy

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Background - 10 May, 2010

As the world struggles to define a pathway forward for addressing the climate crisis, the IT sector has a transformational role to play. IT companies must advocate for policies that create beneficial market conditions for IT-enabled climate solutions, thereby catalyzing a clean energy economy as they secure long-term profitability for their products and services. The implementation of these goods and services will require policy support and financing mechanisms in order to maximize their potential, and IT companies must apply their considerable political influence toward achieving these conditions.

The shift to an IT-enabled clean energy economy will not happen without a fight. Fossil fuel energy companies have benefited enormously from the status quo and are positioned to fight policies that would reduce demand for their primary products (i.e. oil and coal). Electric utilities are, at best, interested in a slow transition that maximizes profits without requiring costly changes to their infrastructure.

If we hope to avert the worst social and economic repercussions of runaway climate change, IT companies must break away from these entrenched positions to deliver cutting edge solutions and bold advocacy leadership on a local, national, and international level.

The IT industry can drive fast progress toward both a profitable business model and a clean energy economy by aligning itself with lobbying efforts that support scientifically established greenhouse gas reduction targets as well as renewable energy and energy efficiency mandates and incentives programs.